With the UnitedSM Explorer Card from Chase, travelers benefit from an array of great airport perks and benefits, as well as impressive miles-earning rate with every purchase. Purchases made directly with United Airlines earn 2x points per dollar spent, as do purchases made at restaurants and hotels. Every other dollar spent on purchases with the card earns a single mile. Miles earned through the United MileagePlus frequent flyer program are applicable towards reward flights, hotel stays, car rentals, and more. New accounts also ebenfit from an introductory offer of 40,000 bonus miles when they use their Explorer Card to make $2,000 in purchases within the first three months.
How It Works
Cardholders can expect the following from the UnitedSM Explorer Card from Chase:
How to Earn Rewards:
Fly United: Cardholders earn 2 points for every dollar spent when spending with United, including in-flight purchases, upgrades, Wi-Fi, and more.
Restaurants and Hotels: For those that love to try new food and check out new eateries, the UnitedSM Explorer Card will certainly whet their appetite. Earn 2 miles per $1 spent at all restaurants, and on hotel accommodations (when purchased directly from the hotel).
Make Everyday Purchases: Every other dollar spent on purchases with the Explorer Card earns a single mile.
Unlimited Miles: Cardholders can earn unlimited rewards miles with their UnitedSM Explorer Card.
Rewards do not expire: One of the many great things about the MileagePlus program is that once earned rewards, they never expire, as long as your account is open.
How to Redeem Rewards:
Travel: Booking flights with United or other Star Alliance partners. United flight rewards are broken down into two categories: Saver and Everyday Awards. Saver seats are easier to book, with as few as 10,000 miles needed to book an economy ticket, whereas Everyday Awards have more availability, but come with a higher cost.
Hotels: Miles are also applicable towards stays with United Airlines hotel partners, good for rooms at thousands of properties worldwide.
Car Rentals: MileagePlus miles can be used to book rental card with United partners, such as Thrifty, Dollar, and Hertz.
Retail: Miles can be used to shop for thousands of products, including electronics, housewares, jewelry, gift cards, and much more. In fact, miles can be used to purchase Apple® products like the iPad, Apple Watch, and MacBook.
Dining: Miles can be used for gift cards that are redeemable at over 80 restaurant locations nationwide; alternately, miles can be used to purchase certificates for discounts at thousands of restaurants across the country via Restaurant.com.
Gift or Transfer: While cardholders can use their miles for a variety of purchases, they also have the option to purchase extra miles, and/or gift miles to other MileagePlus members. Miles can even be donated to charty! Miles transfers cost $7.50 per 500 miles, along with a processing fee of $30.00 per transaction.
Today’s Bonus Offer
The UnitedSM Explorer Card comes with a great intro bonus offer of 40,000 MileagePlus miles when cardholders make $3,000 in purchases within the first three months of opening an account. While $3,000 in spending within the first three months may sound daunting, for those planning a trip, it is a very achievable goal.
The Plane Facts
Can you expect a smooth flight from the UnitedSM Explorer Card from Chase, or will there be turbulence?
Annual Fee: The UnitedSM Explorer Card features an annual fee of $95, which is waived for the first year of membership. Card membership offers a host of impressive perks once the free year expires. For example, after each anniversary, cardholders recieve two free passes to United Club lounges. This anniversary offer more than pays for the cost of the annual fee, and receiving it after the renewal period is a great idea for United to keep people sticking with their card.
Airline and Airport Perks:
Baggage Allowance: When booking United flights with the Explorer Card, travelers receive their first two checked bags absolutely free. This can add up to $120 in savings on a round trip flight.
Anniversary United ClubSM Passes: Cardholders will receive two United ClubSM one-time passes after account opening, and on each card member anniversary – valued at over $100 per year.
United Discount: Enjoy 25% back on food, beverage, and WiFi purchases on board United- and United Express-operated flights in the form of a statement credit.
Priority Boarding: Cardholders will be permitted to board United-operated flights prior to general boarding. Companions traveling on the same reservation are also eligible for priority boarding.
Airport Dining: Miles can be redeemed at select restaurants and bars in the New York/Newark Airport and the Houston Continental Airport
Global Entry and TSA Pre✓® Statement Credit: When using the UnitedSM Explorer card to pay the fee to complete either the Global Entry or TSA Pre✓® application, card members are reimbursed for the full fee, in the form of a statement credit.
Complimentary Premier Upgrades: Card members who have MileagePlus® Premier® status, and are traveling on an award ticket, are eligible for complimentary premier upgrades on select United operated flights, subject to availability.
No blackout dates
Cardholder Protections:
Zero Liability: Visa’s Zero Liability policy protects cardholders should there be any unauthorized or fraudulent activities on their account.
Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver: When cardholders use their UnitedSM Explorer Card to pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the rental car counter’s collision damage waiver, they are covered if the car is damaged or stolen.
Roadside Dispatch®: Visa cardholders also receive Roadside Dispatch, a pay-per-use roadside assistance service, which provides help from everything from flat tires to broken windshields.
Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance: Cardholders are reimbursed up to $1,500 per person and $6,00 per trip for prepaid, non-refundable passenger fares when their travel is canceled or cut short due to covered situations like sickness or injury.
Baggage Delay Insurance: Reimbursement for essential purchases like toiletries and clothing is available when baggage is delayed for longer than 6 hours by a passenger carrier; coverage extends up to $100 per day for three days.
Lost Luggage Reimbursement: If a traveler or an immediate family member check or carry-on luggage that is either damaged or lost by the carrier, they have coverage for up to $3,000 per passenger.
Trip Delay reimbursement: If your common carrier travel is delayed by more than 12 hours (or requires an overnight stay), you and your family will be covered for expenses like meals and lodging, up to $500 per ticket.
Purchase Protection: Purchases made with your card are covered up to 120 days after purchase, insuring against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim, and $50,000 per year.
Extended Warranty protection: The warranty for items purchased with this card can be extended for up to one additional year, for eligible warranties of three years or less.
Additional Benefits:
Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection: UnitedSM Explorer Card card members will enjoy access to over 900 properties that include many of the world’s most equisite hotels, resorts, lodges, and spas. Each stay booked via this collection will automatically bestow the cardholder with some amazing perks that include a daily breakfast for two, complimentary WiFi, a room upgrade if available, early check-in and late checkout, and a special benefit that is unique to each property (such as a dining or spa credit).
Inside Access: As a Chase card member, you’ll have opportunities to purchase private, curated, once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Enjoy wine tastings and culinary events at some of the world’s finest restaurants, meet a sporting legend, and redeem award miles to enjoy VIP access to live theater and museum events.
Year-end Summary: You’ll have access to a Year-End Summary of all the charges you’ve accrued over the fiscal year, making it easy to see where you spend most and plan for next year’s annual spending.
Extended Warranties: Visa cardholders who use their Visa Signature® card for their purchases are eligible to add up to two extra years added to the original manufacturer’s warranty, when you use your card for eligible purchases. Some restrictions apply.
Complimentary Employee Cards: Employers can add employee cards to their account at no additional cost, and points earned by employee spending will be credited to the account holder.
Visa Concierge Service: Get complimentary Visa Signature® Concierge Service, 24 hours a day.
No foreign transaction fees
The Perks That Make the UnitedSM Explorer Card Worthwhile:
What are some of the pros that set this card ahead of the rest?
An Excellent Intro Offer: Earn 40,000 bonus points when you spend $2,000 on qualifying business purchases in the first 3 months of the account opening – not a bad reward for using your card, and great if you’re planning to use your new card for a large purchase right off the bat.
No Blackout Dates: Cardholders will enjoy the ability to fly wherever, whenever, with no blackout dates or seat restrictions (subject to availability).
United Club Anniversary Passes: Two complimentary passes to use the exclusive United Club lounge while traveling is a great annual bonus for the UnitedSM Explorer card.
No Foreign Transaction Fees: For the business owner who travels abroad for meetings and work, a card offer without foreign transaction fees will prove very useful, particularly when purchases made in another country earn points, too.
Free Checked Bags: Your first checked bag flies with you for free, both for yourself and one companion on your itinerary, meaning savings of up to $120 round trip.
Potential Turbulence with the UnitedSM Explorer Card:
What are some cons that take the wind from under this card’s wings?
Annual Fee: The UnitedSM Explorer Card’s annual fee of $95 is middle-of-the-aisle when compared to many other business travel rewards cards. Although this fee is waived for the first year of card use, it’s still nearly $100 each year thereafter, so if you aren’t going to take advantage of all this card offers, it may not be the right fit for you, depending on your budget. While there are a few options out there for with no annual fees, most cards that have no annual fee cannot compare when it comes to the rewards options that are attached.
United Club Access: This card teases access to the United ClubSM, since each cardholder receives two one-time passes to the exclusive airport lounge on each anniversary. While this adds up to savings of $100 per year when both passes are used, it may tempt you to spend more money to get United Club membership – which can run more than $550. If you think you’ll be jet-setting in style and taking full advantage of the United Club regularly, you might be better suited to apply for the United ClubSM Card (which comes with even more perks and benefits as well as a higher annual fee).
Thoughts Before Takeoff
This is your Captain speaking. While the UnitedSM Explorer Card from Chase’s annual fee of $95 may seem high for some, the benefits you receive once you reach rewards-earning altitude will more than make up for it. Frequent travelers who are willing to invest their money in a nominal annual expenditure that yields rich rewards earned from travel and dining each year certainly won’t want to miss their flight – apply soon to take advantage of the 40,000 point introductory offer, and start earning rewards with United Airlines today.